


Promising

by Sing



Category: Villainous Nights (Visual Novel)
Genre: Doomed, F/M, Jealousy, backfired plans
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:40:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24402208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sing/pseuds/Sing
Summary: Seraphine Totayo feels like she's in a dream. To be hired at Optimus tower? To make a difference? Absolutely nothing could compare. She's among people who are the leading forces in technology and super powered development---she's going to leave her mark here.In more ways than one.Kirk Steele instantly senses something new when he strides through the hall during a group orientation. A fuzzy, hazy dormant thrumming, a subtle thing, rumbling in one of these bodies.Promising.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any of the characters or scenery from LoveStruck or Villainous Nights
> 
> Very short chapters.

Friday Morning seems a weird time of week to start a job, she thinks. After all the weekend is right there, looming in all of its temptation and promises of movie marathons and pizza and opportunities to scroll through snapshot---alas, 'Focus Seraphine' she coaxes herself. "You've got to make a good impression on your first day."

Stepping off the train and journeying up the steps it's not long in her walk before she finds herself standing before Optimus Tower. It gleams in the early morning sun. Glistening with ambition, hope. She catches sight of herself in the shining glassy exterior. Admires her dark skin and red and brown hair---she'd gotten it braided when she heard she got the job. Wanted to feel stylish for her new jobShe flashes herself a grin. 'You're going to do great' she assures herself and grasps the handle, giving it a solid pull.

* * *

"Welcome to Optimus"

Kirk Steele Optimusboard member is on his way to a meeting when he hears the careful moderately exuberant voice welcoming the new employees when he feels it---a very distant, hazy thrumming---a power, of course. Something untapped. It's not unusual for it to happen, Optimus' recruiting processes is partially built on scrounging around and finding any candidates with a modicum of potential to recruit to their cause. There may be a dozen or so of them there in that group alone, undiscovered, brimming with potential. The future.

Promising.

He pauses a moment at the elevator to look back on the assembly of them there. His eyes catch on a striking head of brunette and red hair. 'Hmm, Brighid must have herself a fan' he muses. as the elevator doors open.

* * *

Across the room a prickling sensation courses over Seraphine's skin. The feeling of being watched. She glances over her shoulder and catches just a slimmer of a teal waistcoat and steely eyes just as the doors of the elevator glide smoothly closed.

She blinks rapidly, shaking off the weird feeling and refocuses on what the co-ordinator is saying. She tries to anyway.


	2. Chapter 2

"I should've expected that a place like Optimus would try to optimize even on your first day," She frowns to herself, rubbing at her eyes as she leaves one of the upper floors. She was sent up here to deliver a file but the manager she was looking for had already gone home so she's journeying back down to the mail rooms by herself. It's only as she's passing the floor to ceiling windows that she notices how dark it's gotten outside. Apartment and condo lights glimmer in the distance and she can see the headlights of cars down below. "When did it get this late," she muses to herself, turning around and finding herself instantly disoriented. She can't remember which hall to take for the elevator. "Dare I wing it?" she frowns trying to remember if it's straight ahead or to her right. "Well, I'm right handed," she rationalizes as she takes the turn. She's twenty paces deep in this direction with no elevator in sight, "Yep, time to turn around Seraphine," and right then is when she hears foot steps. 

Don't ask her why, but she instinctively flattens herself against the wall as she watches a pair of Optimus guards stroll past. In the shadowy hallways, the fluorescent light of their shock batons are particularly menacing. She pauses a moment, leaning heavily on the wall while she tries to gather her bearings, waiting for the guard to pass when the wall---nope, a door---gives way behind her and sends her tumbling backwards on hard wood, smacking her head, hard.

* * *

In the time it would have taken for him to demand an explanation for an intrusion, the young woman had already fallen and struck her head. Lawsuit. The word blinkers in alarming red colours in his mind as he hurries around his desk and pauses only a moment to register the hue of her hair. One of the new hires from this morning, he concludes. 

Kirk Steele isn't known for his inherently kind manner. Quite the opposite, if his name doesn't already give him a way. However, it's not exactly ideal to just leave an employee unconscious on his office floor. He'll puzzle out why she's there in the first place later. When he's convinced her not to drum up some reason to sue. He presses his fingers to her neck, checking for a pulse. Best to make sure she's alive, first of all, before he goes about thinking up compensation plans. 

The beating underneath his fingers is gives him a very brief feeling like relief as he reaches to pull her up right, a hand feeling the back of her head for bumps and simultaneously scanning the floor for blood. 

Not a spot. "Good, good girl," he purrs, absently petting her hair as if choosing not to bleed on his floor was a good behaviour. "Alright." his tone turns authoritative. "Up, here we go." He hefts her easily to her feet, brows knit together in a frown when she sways heavily into him. He braces her, never thrown off balance. "Come on, come on, up." He sets her back and rests his palms heavily on her shoulders, letting the weight of them force grounding into her. 

A cold chill feeling run down into her feet and it's only then she blearily opens her eyes to find her self gazing into grey cold ones. Sleek, austere, cold, cutting, like 'Steel' she mutters. His mouth gives the smallest quirk. 

"Yes I am. Kirk Steele, board member, and you are?"

"Sera---" she winces as the pain in her head intensifies. She feels woozy again. "Phine---I'm so sorry---I got---"

Kirk makes a tutting sound as he reaches toward the desk where his suit case with the steel handle flies to his hand and gripping her elbow begins steering her out of the room. "It's late. You missed the elevator?"

"Yes" she winces again and he peers at her with narrowed eyes. Her head still spinning and her stomach upset, Seraphine shrinks beneath the scrutiny. 

"Are you going to report." he hedges.

"What?"

"For your injury tonight."

"I got that because I was clumsy," she grouses and his lips give a twitch. 

"...Still....if you're concussed...." he sighs. "You shouldn't come in."

A flare of panic lights up her brain. "No!" she snaps. "No I just got this job I can't lose it!"

"You won't----"

"Optimus has been my dream for so long and yeah my first day was long but I'm willing to work and get better at it----I don't want to leave my spot and----"

"First of all," Kirk harrumphs. "That's not how workplace compensation works. You're given some days off, you're paid for it....."

"Who knows how long that will be for----"

As he guides Seraphine back out to the elevator his frown deepens. It's not often he would object to someone so willing to work themselves to the bone for Optimus but it's not usually with such obvious detrimental haste. 

"--I haven't even been here long enough to qualify for that, probably, it would be easier to fire me, especially because it was no one's fault but my own---and I didn't deliver this file to Sampson!" she blurts, spinning out of Kirk's grasp so quickly he staggers, glaring daggers at her before wresting her back to his side, continuing down the hall. 

"Give me the file, I'll deliver it to Sampson. And further, it wasn't your fault, the halls are poorly lit and it's dark. The door shouldn't have been so keen to give way."

She wrinkles her nose, wondering why he's making up excuses for her when there's a loud crash up ahead. 

Shattered windows and glass and then there's a sheet of ice sprawling on the floor towards them. Before she can think Kirk shoves her to the wall where she barely catches herself before hurting her wrist. Just as a man in a mask swoops into view. He shoots glacier spikes out of his hands but Steels manages to wrench steels doors from hinges and uses them as a shield, blocking the blows. Seraphine braces herself, panting and turns to take in the seen. Her head is pounding and spots dance before her eyes but she's sure she's not mistaken when she see an icicle hurtling towards her.

She shuts her eyes tight and waits to feel it pierce through her but the moment never comes. Instead she opens her eyes to see the icicle hovering in mid air before clattering and splintering on the floor. The fighting seems to pause for but a minute----both men staring at her with evident shock---but then the sound of Optimus guards thundering footsteps are coming down the halls and the wolf man leaps toward the window, shooting himself an icy path on which to escape. But as he braces the frame to leap he casts one look back over his shoulder and she knows that icy gaze has landed on her, right before he steps out onto the path, skating clearly out of view just as the guards arrive. 

"Follow him" Kirk instructs, voice rigid and tight as he hurls the steel door back towards it's hinges. Seraphine watches as the door welds and screws itself back in place as if it had never been touched. The guards bumble for a moment, staring at the icy slide that crumbles as the man escapes before making a mad rush presumably for the stairs and all at once the hall is empty and all that's left is melting ice and shattered glass. 

And Kirk Steele, looming over her, eyes narrowed to fine laser points. "Your name."

"S-s-Seraphine, Totayo."

"You're not going to file." He pulls her from the wall where she had cowered. 

"But you said----"

"Ignore what I said. You're changing departments. Effective immediately."

"What's....what's lower than an intern?" She wonders weakly. 

Steele notices her faltering steps and pauses, furrowing his brow as he looks at her. She needs medical attention. "We're going to the hospital to have you checked out." 

"But----"

"You're not being demoted, Miss Totayo. In fact I think," he offers a sliver of a smile as he presses the elevator button. "Quite, the opposite." 


	3. Chapter 3

Seraphine has never really liked hospitals----show her a person who does----but especially if the visit is for her. Especially if it's late enough for Robin, her roommate to worry about her and making panicked assurances that they'd be down there to pick her up as soon as possible. 

"Tell your friend you'll be dropped off," Steele says evenly and Seraphine manages to shoot him an affronted glare, angling her phone away from him. 

"Were you reading my texts?"

"No. But you're clearly communicating with someone who cares about where you are, aren't you?"

She narrows her eyes at him, much as she can, before her head starts to hurt again. "You were reading." 

Kirk lifts his shoulders in an unaffected shrug, lips turned down. Without a word he saunters to the triage desk to inquire how long it will be before Seraphine can get checked out. 

"We're very busy----"

"She's an Optimus employee," he says smoothly. "I'm on the board." 

The nurse glances swiftly at the ID he's flashed in her face and gives a tight nod. "Ten minutes."

A razor sharp smile cuts across his features. Amber eyes glinting. "Thank you." 

As he strides back he sees that Seraphine is still rapid fire texting, her brow scrunching and knitting. He takes his seat and deftly slides the phone out of her hands. Her face flushes crimson. "Hey---"

"You're taxing yourself. They can wait."

She gapes at him in disbelief. Seraphine knows he's a board member and he must have power and prestige and she knows people with privilege tend to throw it around but yet she's never had it wielded on her and she instantly decides she dislikes it. A lot. "You're rude." 

A laugh, a real, robust, and too short guffaw escapes Kirk as he lifts a hand to cover his mouth, eyes twinkling. Whether with mirth or viciousness she can't say. "I am!" he replies enthusiastically, and tries poorly to hide his chuckles. 

"You're very rude." She frowns. 

"You're going to be good to have around," he laughs. "Ah," he pauses to wipe a tear from his eye. 

Seraphine opens her mouth to ask him to elaborate---and further berate him for confiscating her phone when the nurse calls her in. To her surprise, Kirk Steele, rises to follow, his face impassive as she gawks at him. 

"It's late enough," he urges, ushering her forward. "Go,"

"I want my phone back---"

"After you've been looked after."

* * *

It's an hour later and she's been cleared that it's not a concussion and no real damage, given some meds for the pain and sent home. As she meanders back out into the waiting room with Steele strolling casually behind her Seraphine is winded as a body collides with hers. 

"Seraphine!" they exclaim. It's Robin, short blond hair, green eyes, a kind face. Her best friend in San Francisco.

"Robin! What are you doing here?"

Robin pulls back and looks her over with darting frantic eyes. "Uh. You messaged to say you hit your head at work and you were going to the hospital and then just stopped answering---of course I came to get you home safe!" 

Her stomach twists. "Oh Robin I didn't mean to worry you I'm so sorry----"

"Well no way was I going to let you trek home alone....." Their voice trails off then, probably for the first time latching on to the imposing figure of Kirk Steele looming behind them. ".....or not....?" they quirk a brow unsurely at Seraphine. 

"It's a long story, he's on the board at Optimus, he just made sure I got here to be checked out."

"We care deeply about the wellbeing of our employees," Kirk smiles. "We wouldn't want anything to get in the way of promising potential." 

Part of Seraphine catches on the word potential but she's too tired and weary to contemplate any further meaning behind it. 

"The car will be at the front." He announces, striding ahead of them. Once he's through the door and out of earshot Robin leans into Seraphine's ear. 

"Uh, so what's his deal?"

"I stumbled into his office, that's where I hit my head." she grimaces, embarrassed.

"And he rescued you and brought you here," 

"Robin," she groans, sensing their switch to a teasing tone. 

"Well like he's not bad looking, older than you though. Distinguished, in a, ' _I have the power to ruin your life'_ kinda way'"

"Oh my god Robin stop. He's just making sure I don't sue."

"I'm just giving you a hard time."

Seraphine pouts. "But I'm injured. You can't taunt the injured."

"Oh poor baby," they chuckle, swinging an arm around her shoulder and guiding her out the door. "Let's head home. Whoa. This is a nice car."

"Robin," 

"Okay! Okay, after you." They get the door for her and she's surprised to find it empty. Only the driver sits in the front. Robin slides in next to her and registers the absence of Kirk just as quickly. "Where'd he go...."

Leaning her head on the side of the door and feeling the car pull off she gives a half hearted shrug. 

"Hey does this guy know where we're going?" Robin pipes up in evident alarm. 

"Mr.Steele gave me the address."

Seraphine can feel the look Robin gives her. Yes, she should be a bit worried why Kirk Steele knows her address considering she never gave it. "My employee file, maybe?" she croaks weakly. Robin's eyes convey that they're not put at ease by the answer but recognize that what their friend needs right now is to get home and rest. 

"Sure." They say, patting her shoulder. She gives them a grateful look before shutting her eyes. 

Behind her eyelids Seraphine can see Kirk Steele's eyes boring into her. She squirms under his amber gaze and her eyes flutter open, with the distinct feeling she's being watched. They're at a traffic light, another luxury car pulled up near by. The windows tinted so dark as to be opaque. She's not sure how she knows, but she's sure the passenger is looking at her.

* * *

The car slows down outside the boba shop beneath where Seraphine and Robin live. 

"Thanks man, what do I owe you?" Robin rummages in their wallet when the driver interrupts. 

"No need. Optimus payroll. I'll pick you up on Monday, Miss Totayo." and then he's gliding off into the night before Seraphine can blink. Robin helps her upstairs, out of her shoes and into her bed, pulling her blanket up to her chin and pecking her forehead. She gives a weak laugh at their antics. 

"Sleep well Seraphine."

The lights turned out she huffs under the covers and turns on her side. Then turns again. Why can't she shake the feeling that something's.....changed? 


End file.
